


Mirror opposites

by Bl4ckHunter



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Episode: s07e21 End of Days, Expanded conversation from canon, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:28:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28158318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl4ckHunter/pseuds/Bl4ckHunter
Summary: One-shot story. Buffy and Faith talk things through after Buffy returns. Expanded conversation between Buffy and Faith in 7x21.
Relationships: Buffy Summers and Faith Lehane
Kudos: 4





	Mirror opposites

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little expanding on the bedroom conversation between Buffy and Faith in 7x21.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Buffyverse.

Buffy and Faith were in bedroom, talking things out after the former had returned to help until Faith mentioned sleeping with Wood, which made Buffy uncomfortable until Faith tried to get to the point.

"B.… I… the point…" Faith took a breath. "Since I was a kid, I'd always been on my own. I mean, my parents weren't worth much as parents and I didn't have many friends in high school until I dropped out. And you…" She eyed Buffy up and own. "Looking at you, everything you have, I guess I was… jealous. I mean… a loving, kind, caring mother, a sister, who's nice but also drives you nuts but you still love each other in a crazy way. Plus, Giles, Xander, Willow… you had everything I wanted to have. You were everything that I wanted to be and had everything I wanted to have." She said before realizing what she had brought up as she cleared her throat, looking away briefly before meeting Buffy's eyes again. "Poor choice of words. Sorry. It's just that… your friends were nice to me too and tried with me and I know I messed up, but so did Wesley and then… you had something precious that I didn't think I could ever have and Wilkins picked up on it. You and Angel tried to help me but I didn't listen."

Buffy relaxed. She had moved on from it already and she knew that Faith had changed but wasn't sure why was Faith bringing this all up.

"I know what I did to you was unforgivable and there may be nothing I can say or do to make up for it. Angel told me to accept it. But… there's something that Angel probably never told you." Faith said and Buffy blinked. "When I was in L.A. and Wolfram & Hart hired me to kill him…" She took a breath and looked away. "Truth be told, I wasn't planning on taking on Angel and getting out of it alive."

Buffy raised her eyebrows and her eyes widened slightly. Faith, having a death wish? That one Buffy certainly didn't see coming.

"I mean… I couldn't sleep at night. It kept haunting me… what I did to you… and I hated myself for what I'd done and I wanted to be like you and I was jealous but when you switched us back, I realized I couldn't escape what I'd done and I didn't want to live with that pain." Faith said, barely able to look into Buffy's eyes as Buffy looked at her with newfound sympathy and understanding. "I tortured Wesley because God knows I wanted him to suffer."

Buffy couldn't really blame Faith for that. Considering that Wesley was back then an arrogant Watcher and basically an annoying version of Giles, who only made things worse for both of them and considering that he messed up by arresting Faith before Angel could reach her, Buffy could see why would Faith want to get some payback on Wesley, but still, she felt bad for what she had put him through, considering that Buffy saw in what state Wesley was after the torture.

"But a part of me hated myself for what I was doing and when Angel came to save Wesley… I begged him to kill me. I'd hoped he would." Faith explained.

Buffy could see Faith reliving the guilt and pain. Angel tried to explain to Buffy what Faith had been going through but Buffy didn't listen and she could only feel shame for letting her anger get the better of her, when she came after Faith in L.A. and hurt Angel by mentioning Riley.

"But he didn't. He tried to help me. He tried to reach me. He tried to help me heal and make peace with what I'd done. I know that nothing I can say can make up for what I did but—"

"Don't." Buffy said, raising her hand. Back then, she threatened to kill Faith if she tried to apologize, since she let her anger cloud her judgement and she already knew that Faith was remorseful of her actions, plus, the guilt over trying to hurt Angel resurfaced. "I… I know you're sorry and I… I'm…" She sighed. "I guess I should apologize too. At least for L.A. And… for failing you and pushing you away. I mean… I had fun with you and in a way, you were also what I wanted to be. I mean, I always had some strict rules I had to follow with Mom and Giles, expectations they held me up to but you… you had freedom I never had or at least hadn't realized I could have, until you came. In a way, you were also what I'd wanted be. And I didn't want to give up on you. Even though I had various reasons to… and now I see that you're not the same person from three years ago and I wonder if I should've tried harder with helping you."

"But I'm not you, Buffy. I mean, everybody's looking to me, trusting me to lead them, and… I've never felt so alone in my life."

"Yeah." Buffy nodded.

"And that's you every day, right?" Faith realized and Buffy nodded.

"That's the price of being a Slayer."

"There's only supposed to be one. Maybe that's why you and I can never get along. We're not supposed to exist together."

"Also, you went evil and were killing people." Buffy reminded.

"Good point. Also a factor." Faith acknowledged.

"But you're right. I guess everyone's alone. But being a Slayer? There's a burden we can share." Buffy said as they smiled at each other, finally putting their differences aside as they held hands in an amicable manner.

**Author's Note:**

> Buffy and Faith always had kind of intriguing dynamic together, plus sexual subtext that could be explored into lesbian relationship, but their somewhat rocky friendship is one of the unique kinds influenced by many factors.
> 
> And as for the mess in Buffy Season 4 and Angel Season 1, I'm not defending either side, since as sick as it was from Faith what she did to Buffy, I can in a way understand it and while it was understandable that Buffy was so angry with the body swap that she wanted to take Faith out, considering that Faith violated both Buffy and Riley, Buffy bringing Riley up to hurt Angel really just ticked me off. I get that the writers wanted to establish limits between both shows but how they did it just made Buffy look like a bitch but at least Buffy and Angel made up an episode later and Angel got to beat Riley up a bit, since God knows that that pathetic moron had it coming.
> 
> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed this one-shot.
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter


End file.
